Mara Quinn was tragically killed in her Bedford home last week. Picture: Facebook

News

Perth massacre: sister loses entire family

by Natalie Wolfe

11th Sep 2018 9:41 AM

A PERTH mum has had her only sister, mum and three nieces ripped away from her in a horrific tragedy police allege was carried out over two days with "several weapons".

In a statement yesterday, Mara Quinn's sister Taryn described her monumental loss and said there were "no words to explain the emptiness and loss that we are feeling".

Police allege Anthony Robert Harvey, 24, murdered his partner Mara, 41, and their three daughters Charlotte, Alice and Beatrix in their Bedford home, in Perth's inner east, on September 3.

The next day, when Ms Quinn's mother Beverley arrived at the family home, police allege Mr Harvey then also murdered the 73-year-old grandmother.

Mara Quinn was allegedly murdered in her home a week ago. Picture: Facebook

Speaking to news.com.au, a childhood friend of the Quinn family Melissa Bayle said Beverley raised her two daughters Mara and Taryn as a single mum in the Perth suburb of Morley.

And while Taryn is now a mum herself, the alleged murders by her brother-in-law has left her without five beloved family members.

"I'm devastated for her because Mara and Bev were her family," Ms Bayle said.

"Other than her husband and her kids now, Taryn has nobody and that makes me so sad because they were best friends those three, they were always there for each other. They were all so close."

In her heartwrenching statement, Taryn spoke about her mum and how she used to "do anything" for her kids.

"Beverley was a kind-hearted, caring mother and grandmother and was always there for her family. She was very much family orientated and she loved her daughters and grandchildren, and would have done anything for them," Taryn wrote.

For decades, Beverley ran the canteen at Morley Primary School, the school her daughters attended.

According to Ms Bayle, the family was well-respected and loved in the community.

"Mara was such a loving person and I'm finding it so hard to come to terms with how she's passed because they don't deserve that, they're such a loving family," Ms Bayle said.

"Bev would always sit and knit or make things and we used to play in the cubby house at the back of their house as kids and we'd have sleepovers in there.

"Bev would always help the community do things, she dedicated a lot of her life to Taryn and Mara because she was a single mum as well. I don't have a bad word to say about them, they were highly loved in the community, so caring and giving."

In her statement, Taryn spoke about losing her sister and three nieces - Charlotte aged three-and-a-half and twins Alice and Beatrix, 2.

"Mara loved being a mum and she loved her girls. She was so proud of each of them and was doing a great job of raising them. Her girls were her world," Taryn wrote.

"Charlotte was an energetic, bubbly, confident little girl who loved people and loved socialising.

"Alice was outgoing, adventurous and cheeky, while Beatrix was at times a little bit more quiet but gave the biggest hugs.

"This world is a sadder place with the loss of these five beautiful people but Heaven has gained five new angels," she ended.